Gate-latch.



W. E. ARNOLD.

GATE LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, l91 6- LQQLQM, Patented Apr. 10,1917.

l4 l0 v x 19 [,2 F1, 4.. 7 If (5/ I l [Z 5 I WILLARD E. ARNOLD, OF PORTLAND, NORTH DAKOTA.

GATE-LATCH.

Application filed June 2, 1916.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLARD E. ARNOLD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Traill, State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Latches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates generally to gates, and particularly to latches or fastening means therefor.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a latch or fastening means for use in connection with swinging gates which shall be of improved construction, which automatically fastens the gate against being opened, and which may be readily operated or aotuatedfrom either side of the gate.

A further object of the invention is to provide a latch of this character for use upon gates capable of being opened or swung in both directions, wherein improved means is provided for preventing the gate when closed from swinging in either .direction until the latch or look bar has been actuated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in a gate provided with means for locking the same at a number of points in its height, improved means for actuating all of the latches upon actuation of the master or controlling latch. v

A still further object of the invention is to provide locking means of this character which is of simple and inexpensive construction, which is composed of but few readily assembled parts, all so arranged and con-- structed as to prevent breakage, wear, or derangement of the same, which is positive in operation, which is easily actuated, and which will prove thoroughly eficient in the attainment of the ends for which it is designed.

With these objects in view, together with others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel combination and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1, is a plan view of a conventional Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

Serial No. 101,364.

form of gate, and illustrating the application of a latching means embodying the invention,

Fig. 2, is a vertical sectional view taken through the frame of the gate at the forward end thereof,

Fig. 3, is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3+3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. l, is an elevation of the fence post carrying the latch retaining elements.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings,'5 indicates a gate frame, hingedly mounted at 6 upon a gate post 7, and is adapted to swing upon the post both inwardly and outwardly. The gate in the present instance is of that type wherein the frame members 5 are tubular members, and a wire mesh or other fabric is stretched between the top and bottom and end rails, although it is to be understood that the latching or fastening means to be hereafter detailed may be with equal facility applied to gates of different formations or constructions. The post to which the gate is releas' ably held in locked or closed position is indicated at 8.

The means for retaining the gate in closed position is positioned partly upon the post 8 and partly upon the adjacent end member of the gate frame 5. A block or base portion 9 is secured upon the inner face of the gate post 8, and provides at its lower extremity a forwardly projecting guide member 10. The upper surface of the guide member 10 is curved downwardly at its extremities to enable the latch member carried by the gate to ride thereover. The base may be secured to the post by bolts or screws 11. Projecting outwardly from the base portion or block 9 adjacent the ends thereof and in spaced horizontal alinement above the guide member 10 are stems 12, the same being formed of screws or bolts as desired. A locking lever 13 is hingedly connected at one end to each of the stems, the said levers being formed of metallic plates shaped at one end to provide a barrel or loopla for rocking engagement over the stems 12, and extending inwardly from the pivotal connection to rest at its free end upon the guide member 10. As shown in the drawing, these locking levers are oppositely disposed, their free extremities resting upon the guide member 10 in spaced relation to each other. The outermost lateral edge of each of the locking levers is turned upwardly to provide a stop portion or flange 15, the said flanges 55 tically disposed end member of the frame projecting upwardly from the extremities of the said locking levers. Pins 16'project outsecured at its inner end to a rotatable latch shaft 18 upon the gate end, and projecting forwardly from the gate frame a distance sufficient to ride upon the arcuate guide member 10 and to beengaged upon its opposite sides by the free ends of the locking levers 13. Anietallic plate 19 is shaped around the vertically disposed end member of the frame 5, the said plate engaging upon eachside of the fabric stretched across the gate frame and may be secured to the same in anyrpreferred manner. Alined openings I 20 ar'earranged in the opposing leaf portions of the plate 19, within which the rota- 7 table latch shaft 18 is mounted.

The end member of the gate frame 5 is provided with vertically disposed elongated slots or apertures 21, through which the forwardly projecting latch tongue 17 extends, the bottom of the slots supporting the said tongue in horizontal position; The opposite ends of the latch shaft 18 are equipped with handle portions or grips 22, and it is apparent that rotary movement delivered to the shaft through said handle will operate to raise the latch tongue 17 a distance sufficient to enable the latter to lie with its end above the horizontally alined stems 12, whereby the gate may be swung open. Upon releasing the hand grips, the latch bar 17 gravitates to horizontal position, and when the gate swings to closed position the sald bar w1ll ride upon the arcuate guide member 10,

, raising the adjacent locking lever 13, and is limited against further movement by engagement with the flange 15 of the opposing locking lever. The locking levers 13 thus retain the gatelatch between them, and the gate cannot be opened until the said latch has been raised, to clear the stems 12. A

- latch and supporting shaft of the above described character is provided upon the verfor each of the cooperating blocks or base portions above described. A wire or connecting link 23 may be arranged within the tubular end member of the frame, connected atits ends to the upper and-lower latch bars,

whereby rocking movement of the uppermost of the latch lifting shafts will simultaneously lift the lowermost latches. It is thus seen that all of the latches which may be used upon the gate will be at once raised to permit of the gate being swung to open position. The various parts of the locking devices above described may be constructed of any preferred materials, and while I have herein shown and described a particular or preferred embodiment of the invention I wish it to be understood that I need not confine myself to all the precise details of construction herein set forth by way of illustration as modification and variation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A gate latch, comprising in combination with a swinging gate and a post, of a base plate carried by said post and having its lower portion shaped into an outstanding convex cam surface, a pair of oppositely extending locking levers pivoted to the face of the base plate and having their free endsresting upon said convex cam surface and forming therewith a latching space, upturned flanges formed upon the outer edges of said levers, providing retaining abutments forsaid locking space, a latch bar pivotally carried by said base and adapted to ride below either of said lovers to be engaged between said flanges and means for lifting said latch bar over said locking lovers to open the gate.

2. A gate latch comprising in combination, with a gate and a post, a base plate on said post having its lower portion shaped into an outstanding upwardly curved convex cam surface, levers pivoted upon said base plate and inclining downwardly toward one another and having their free ends resting upon said cam surface at its uppermost portion, said levers consisting of comparatively wide plates and having their outer edges upturned to form opposing retaining flanges which cooperate with said cam surface to provide a locking space, and a latch bar pivotally carried by said gate to ride over said cam surface below said levers into said looking space, and means for lifting said bar upwardly out of engagement with said base to open the gate.

In testimony whereof, I aflix 'my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLARD E. ARNOLD.

Witnesses:

P. M. PAULSON, ROBERT KUR'rz.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

